Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(51)
Author: K.A. Linde

Or maybe Lexi was looking at it all wrong. She conceded the point that she might just be imagining the whole thing. Ramsey had been up front about them sleeping together. There was no need for Parker to feel any discomfort around Lexi since she had never been in her position. She had just been a thing of the past, and Lexi was going about this all wrong.

More comforted by this new train of thought, Lexi followed Ramsey over to the cake. She felt almost like it was her birthday, and the only thing she was missing was the candles. She took a small piece for herself, and then began to mingle with the rest of the group. Somehow Lexi got dragged into a conversation with Brad and Jason about the varying aesthetics of the female rear end. She should have known better than to ask what they were talking about. The conversation was beginning to go a direction she hadn’t dreamed of them discussing in front of her. Once they started talking about the extra shape and structure of her own butt, she had had enough. She needed to get out of there.

She smiled anxiously at Ramsey’s two roommates as she tried to insert an excuse to leave into the conversation. She finally squeezed in the remark, and quickly scurried away from them and out the back door. Closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath of fresh air and checked her watch. She was stunned. How had the time gone by so fast? The party had been going on for hours, and she hadn’t even realized it because up until the conversation with Brad and Jason she had been having an incredible time.

"Well this doesn’t look like much of a party," someone said following Lexi out onto the balcony and closing the door and the noise behind him.

Lexi turned quickly and found herself face to face with the guy who Jessie had come with. She hadn’t recognized him before, but now that he was facing her she realized she did in fact know him. Both times she had ventured into Bridges Enterprise she had run into him, and after her experiences with Jack and Ramsey, she stopped believing these occurrences were purely coincidence. People just gravitated to her at times and she was never quite sure why it happened, but here he was: Brandon Calloway.

"I think it’s a fine party," she responded letting herself relax back into the railing. The afternoon heat hadn’t quite subsided as night took over, but still it was better than being surrounded by people right now.

"It would be fine if the guest of honor was inside, but since you’re out here I have to disagree, respectfully of course," he said with a charming smile. "So, I came to find the party."

She remembered his easy flirtations the last time she had been around him. He teased every girl in his vicinity and had likely been with just as many. His easy words were nothing to her, but she smiled nonetheless. Every girl enjoys a compliment. "Thank you. Thought I came out here for peace and quiet which I don’t think is what you have to offer."

"I can be quiet," he said pushing his lips together with his fingers and leaning his body against the railing beside her. Instead of turning his head out to the lingering sunset, he kept his gaze strictly on her face.

"You’re missing it," she said gesturing to the skyline. She feared his answer would be predictable and she couldn’t keep from smiling bigger the longer his eyes bore into her.

He shook his head as if to show that he would still remain silent as she had asked. His hand came up and tapped her lightly on the nose. She turned her face back to him in surprise and she watched his eyes roam her face. She knew what he was saying without a word spoken from him. She was the view…not the sunset.

Suddenly, she couldn’t hold back any longer and she giggled uncontrollably. His eyebrows knitted together as he attempted to understand the joke.

"You think that’s going to work on me? Does that work on other women?" she asked incapable of keeping her giggles to herself.

Brandon gasped and clenched his chest as if wounded. "Of course it works," he said after a minute his cocky smile returning.

"Well not on me," Lexi said rolling her eyes.

"Perhaps," he conceded, "But I almost had you."

"Not a chance," she countered. "Anyway aren’t you here with Jessie?"

Brandon rolled his gorgeous blue eyes to the ceiling at that. "That girl is harder to shake off than anyone I’ve met. Stage five clinger," he muttered reverting to language from Wedding Crashers. "She invited me here yes, but I came more out of spite than anything."

"Ah yes, your dislike of my boyfriend," she said remembering their earlier conversation at Bridges Enterprise.

"And now people actually know you have this claimed boyfriend," he said reminding her of the painfully humiliating day when she had stormed through Bridges as Ramsey’s girlfriend who no one knew or acknowledged. "And anyway he dislikes me not the other way around," he said with a nonchalant shrug as if he had the world at his feet.

"Perhaps you deserve it," she said quickly uncertain of the history between them. She wanted to just ask what happened, but she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

Brandon laughed boisterously at her reply. "He’s got you wrapped around his little finger doesn’t he? Ramsey Bridges can do no wrong," he said mockingly. "The Golden Boy. I don’t know how he does it so easily…and with brilliant women no less."

"What are you talking about?" Lexi snapped quickly becoming serious.

"Oh nothing," he said patting her head like a child. "Don’t fret your pretty little head over me. I deserve everything I get right?"

"Brandon what are you going on about?" she demanded more firmly this time.

"I’m afraid love, you’ll find out with time. No need for me to spoil your fun."

He clearly knew he had done just that by the look on her face. He laughed again at her anger. "Has anyone ever told you that you’re sexy when angry?" he asked leaning forward into her charmingly.

Immediately all emotion lapsed from her face. She had been told more times than she could count just that. A chill went down her spine at the similarities between Brandon and Jack. Yet she didn’t feel for Brandon what she had ever felt around Jack. Brandon was just a charmer out for one thing and he seemed pretty successful.

The difference was he wasn’t going to succeed with her.

"Have you been with every woman at this party?" she asked abruptly changing the subject.

"You’re still up for grabs," he said smirking.

"Besides me!" she cried.

"Enough. The ones that interest me," he allowed.

"And what interests you? Boobs? Butt? Do you even need that?" she asked insulting his good taste.

"That hurts. I’m hitting on you and you have both," he said merrily.

"Well stop hitting on me. You’re getting nowhere. Go hit on someone easier because I’m a lost cause," she told him up front.

"But you interest me," he confessed.

"Well I’m spoken for."

"How medieval!" he cried. "Soon you’ll be betrothed and all that."

Lexi reflexively gagged at the idea. Not that she was necessarily against it, but all engagements meant to her were heartache, heartbreak, and disappointment. She didn’t even want to think about that.

"Ahh…even more interesting. A woman gagging at the thought of marriage," he said intrigued. "That’s a new one for me."

Lexi shrugged not wanting to go down that road. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything doll," he agreed immediately his face brightening.

"Well one don’t call me doll," she told him.

"Fine you’re honey to me now," he cooed.

She rolled her eyes, but knew a lost cause when she saw one. "And two pookie can you not chase me?" she pleaded.

He kept his face neutral as if he had been prepared for rejection. "But hoooooooney…"

"Now pookie I just got into town, I’m moving in with my boyfriend, and my best friend is going to Milan for the summer. I need a…a friend."

"A friend?" he asked warily as if he had heard of the dreaded friend zone and was terrified of even the word.

"Yes a friend. Someone I can hang out with and confide in and do stuff with without thinking they’re going to jump me at the first chance. And I think you’re it."

"I don’t do the friend thing," he told her.

"Well there’s a first for everything," she told him a big smile crossing her face.

"You’re not going to let this go are you?" he asked grudgingly.

"Nope…pookie…"

"Fine," he grumbled. "Honey."

The back door swung open unexpectedly. "There you are," Ramsey called as he opened the door. "I’ve been looking all over for you." He eyed Brandon warily. It was clear by his clenched fists and stiff body that he didn’t trust or like him. He looked prepared to pounce at a moments notice.

"Sorry I just needed some air," she said walking up to him and touching his arm reassuringly. No need for him to freak out about their alone time. She wasn’t that girl anymore and anyways Brandon Calloway was no Jack Howard.

"Well everyone’s heading out and I thought you would want to say goodbye," he said finally meeting her sweet brown eyes.

"I would. Thanks for coming to get me," she said walking past him and through the door. Brandon followed in behind her smirking at Ramsey as he walked past. Lexi said good-bye to the crowd and watched as most of them drunkenly stumbled out of the apartment. Brad and Jason had disappeared with their dates upstairs, and Lexi hoped that she didn’t hear from them the rest of the night.

Chyna walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Congrats girl! We’re going to head back to our hotel now," Chyna said with a wink.

Lexi shook her head, but couldn’t help but laugh. She had the same thing in mind as soon as everyone else evacuated the premises. "Have fun. You’ll be here tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"Nah we’re going to take the early flight back to New York. He has work in the afternoon, and I have to start packing for Milan," she told her excitement evident in her voice.

"Oh come on Chyna you know you’re not going to do any packing."

Chyna just shrugged. "You know me too well."

"I’m going to miss you," Lexi said wrapping her up in another hug. "Let me know you’re safe."

"Will do chica," Chyna said kissing her cheek and stepping back. Adam gave Lexi a quick hug. "Take care."

"I will. Bye," she said watching the last guests disappear.

She sighed pleasantly at the quiet that took over the apartment. Turning around she looked for Ramsey, but realized that he must have disappeared upstairs while she had been talking with Chyna. She hadn’t even realized it.

"Hey you," she said walking into his bedroom. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just giving you sometime to say goodbye," he said turning around to face her.

Lexi saw the same tension in his shoulders as when he had walked outside and found her talking with Brandon. She knew that he must be dwelling on it, and she didn’t want him to feel like that. There was absolutely nothing between her and Brandon.

"Ramsey, you know I’m yours right," she said quietly after a minute of silence.

"Of course," he said reaching out for her and pulling her into his chest.